Developer

Learn More About the Clifton StrengthsFinder Theme

You see the potential in others. Very often, in fact, potential is all you see. In your view no individual is fully formed. On the contrary, each individual is a work in progress, alive with possibilities. And you are drawn toward people for this very reason. When you interact with others, your goal is to help them experience success. You look for ways to challenge them. You devise interesting experiences that can stretch them and help them grow. And all the while you are on the lookout for the signs of growth -- a new behavior learned or modified, a slight improvement in a skill, a glimpse of excellence or of "flow" where previously there were only halting steps. For you these small increments -- invisible to some -- are clear signs of potential being realized. These signs of growth in others are your fuel. They bring you strength and satisfaction. Over time many will seek you out for help and encouragement because on some level they know that your helpfulness is both genuine and fulfilling to you.

Action Items for This Theme

Make a list of the people you have helped learn and grow. Look at the list often and remind yourself of the effect you have had on the world.

Seek roles in which your primary responsibilities will be in facilitating growth. Teaching, coaching, or managing roles might prove especially satisfying for you.

Notice when your associates grow, and tell them. Be specific about what you saw. Your detailed observations of their growth will enhance their growth.

Make a list of the people you would like to help develop. Write what you would consider to be each person's strengths. Schedule time to meet with each of them regularly -- even if for only 15 minutes -- and make a point of discussing both their goals and their strengths.

Identify the mentor or mentors who recognized something special inside you. Take the time to thank them for helping you develop, even if this means tracking down a former schoolteacher and sending him or her a letter.

Make a plan to develop your own strengths based on a detailed understanding of your talents, knowledge, and skills.

Be ready to:

Partner with someone with a strong Individualization theme. This person can help you see where each person's greatest strengths lie. Without this help, your Developer instincts might lead you to encourage people to grow in areas in which they lack real strength.

Carefully avoid supporting someone who is consistently struggling in his or her role. In such instances, the most developmental action you can take is to encourage him or her to find a different role -- a role that fits.

Many of us buy into the myth that talent and motivation are totally separate things. A strengths-based approach, however, debunks this. Simply put, your talents are your motivations; they're usually inseparable. A strengths expert explains.